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WHAT TO DO WHEN MEDICAL BILLS WASNT PAID?

Severna Park, MD | May 12, 2013 1:31am

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT 7 YRS AGO. I HAD A LAWYER. IM NOW BEING CONTACTED, SAYING I NEED TO MAKE PAYMETS FOR 4,000 DOLLAS. I HIRED THE LAWYER TO PAY THE BILLS AND TO GO AFTER THE PERSON WHO HIT ME! WHY ARE THEY NOW CONTACTING ME 7 YRS LATER!??? ISNT THERE A TIME LIMIT ON BILLS? THIS IS JUST A LITTLE CRAZ,Y AND WEIRD! HOW SHOULD I GO ABOUT THIS? I CALLED THE LAWYER AND HE SAID HE WOULD GET BACK TO ME....BUT IM NOT BELIEVEING THAT!
#HELP

Go see the attorney for a face to face meeting. I am not familiar with MD law since I am a California attorney but if it has been 7 years since any contact & IF a lawsuit was never filed, the statute of limitations has probably run. If your previous attorney is no help seek legal counsel - do not respond to the demand letter, let you attorney handle it.

This is not intended to be legal advise or as legal representation. I am a California personal injury attorney . Be aware that every state has its own statute of limitations; and statutes & case laws that govern the handling of these matters.

If the person/entity who states you owe $4,000.00 did not get a judgment against you back when it was within the statute of limitations, then they probably cannot get a judgment against you now because the statute of limitations has probably run/expired. Consult with an attorney to see if the statute of limitations precludes a judgment against you in your particular situation with your particular set of facts.

When I handle personal injury cases, I will pay for my client's medical bills. However, before I disburse any money to the client, I will have the client sign an agreement with me which lists all the payments I have made on behalf of the client, and the client states that she/he understands that any remaining medical bills are the sole responsibility of the client, and that if I have paid any medical providers, then such payment is for the convenience of the client, but that the client understands that any future unpaid bills remain the sole responsibility of the client. This is fair, and reasonable, because the client was injured and sought medical care to benefit the client, not the attorney. Some clients do not reveal to the attorney all the medical bills, either because they forget, or they just don't care to save all the paperwork. Attorneys typically are very diligent in trying to track down all the medical billing, but not all clients cooperate and not all clients provide all the necessary billing and other paperwork. So ultimately, the medical billing is normally the responsibility of the client, unless the attorney's Legal Services Agreement provided that the Attorney took full responsibility for the medical billing, and frankly, it makes no sense for an attorney to put such a clause in a Legal Services Agreement.

This is NOT legal advice, is GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, and does NOT establish an Attorney/Client Relationship with you because you have not yet retained me, and because you have not provided me with a COMPLETE set of all the FACTS in your legal situation. Therefore my answer cannot address your specific legal situation and you should not rely upon my answer in your legal matter. This answer is provided as GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY, and to assist you in beginning your own research or in finding an attorney to represent you. I am an attorney licensed in Maryland and California. If you want me to provide legal advice, then you must call for a Consultation. If you would like me to represent you, then a Retainer and a fully signed and dated Legal Services Agreement (a contract) will be required. Office: (410) 381-1656. David Mahood, Esq.